The Washington Senate approved a bill Wednesday to restrict parents' ability to opt out of certain vaccinations. File Photo by Adam Gregor/Shutterstock/UPI

April 18 (UPI) -- With the most measles cases nationwide in five years and 74 sickened in Washington state alone, lawmakers there have passed a bill to restrict vaccine exemptions.

The Washington state Senate voted to approve a bill blocking parents from exempting their children from measles, mumps and rubella vaccinations on personal or philosophical grounds.

Under the bill, parents would still be allowed to opt out of MMR vaccinations for religious or medical reasons. They can also use personal or philosophical reasons to exempt their children from vaccinations other than MMR.

The state Senate's 25-22 vote occurred late Wednesday. No Republicans voted for it and only two Democrats voted against it. Republicans proposed more than a dozen amendments to weaken the bill, arguing it was government overreach. Democrats argued it is needed to stop the threat of spreading disease.

The U.S. measles outbreak has grown to its second-highest level in a quarter century, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said -- 555 cases in 20 states. Washington has experienced one of the greatest outbreaks, along with New York, New Jersey and California, officials said.